NCAA Basketball Rankings: Xavier Drops To No. 15 In ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, Faces Long Beach State This Week

The Xavier Musketeers suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday and as a result have dropped out of the top 10 in the latest college basketball polls. Xavier suspended three starters for their game against Oral Roberts and suffered a stunning 64-42 home defeat. The Musketeers are now No. 15 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.

The Long Beach St. 49ers will play Xavier on Thursday in the opening round of the Diamond Head Classic tournament in Hawaii. While Terrell Holloway will be back for Xavier in that game, the Musketeers will still be without starters Mark Lyons and Dez Wells, who were given longer suspensions for their role in a fight against Cincinnati on December 10.

Here is the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll top 10:

1. Syracuse (11-0)
2. Ohio State (10-1)
3. Kentucky (9-1)
4. Louisville (10-0)
5. Duke (9-1)
6. North Carolina (9-2)
7. Baylor (9-0)
8. Missouri (11-0)
9. Connecticut (9-1)
10. Marquette (10-0)

Xavier, No. 14 in the AP poll, is the fifth team ranked in the top 15 that Long Beach State has played this season. The 49ers beat then-No. 9 Pittsburgh on the road on November 16, and have suffered road losses to No. 4 Louisville, No. 6 North Carolina, and No. 11 Kansas.

NCAA Basketball Rankings: Kansas Jayhawks No. 12 In AP Poll, Face USC This Week

USC hosts No. 12 Kansas at Galen Center on Thursday night.